India is setting its sights on doubling textile exports by 2030, with the newly signed India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) expected to unlock fresh growth opportunities. The Ministry of Textiles announced this target during a high-level trade engagement in London, where a government–industry delegation showcased India’s strengths across the textile value chain.
The visit comes at a critical moment as India positions itself as a global hub for sustainable, traceable, and heritage-driven textile manufacturing, and seeks stronger bilateral ties with the UK — already its fourth-largest export destination for textiles.
Textile leadership delegation pitches India’s value chain strengths
Led by Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, the delegation included representatives from Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and leading Indian exporters. The team participated in roadshows and sectoral meetings with UK buyers, sourcing houses, and industry stakeholders in handicrafts, handlooms, and carpets.
In her remarks, Rao highlighted India’s unique proposition — combining heritage craftsmanship with modern manufacturing scale, while embracing sustainability, transparency, and supply chain resilience.
“India’s textile sector is deeply rooted in artisan tradition but also forward-looking in digitisation and traceability. Our evolving ecosystem is aligned with UK buyers’ growing preference for ethical sourcing and green supply chains,” she stated.
India–UK CETA: Trade, investment, and brand positioning
India’s textile exports to the UK stood at $2.16 billion in 2024–25, making up 6.6% of the UK’s textile imports. With the India–UK CETA now in force, stakeholders believe the agreement will remove trade barriers, reduce tariffs, and foster joint ventures in design, R&D, and sustainable production.
Vikram K. Doraiswami, India’s High Commissioner to the UK, termed the agreement a “win–win for both nations.” He noted that beyond trade facilitation, CETA will accelerate investment flows, innovation exchange, and collaboration in emerging textile technologies.
Indian officials also promoted Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged products and artisan-based enterprises, seeking direct buyer–producer linkages for rural and semi-urban textile MSMEs.
Opportunities for MSMEs and heritage-based exporters
The engagement offered a significant platform for India’s MSMEs in handloom, handicrafts, and carpet weaving — many of which are cluster-based and women-led — to expand access to the high-value UK market.
For these enterprises, CETA’s provisions around ease of customs, reduced non-tariff barriers, and mutual recognition of standards will be critical in improving margins and reducing export delays.
UK buyers reportedly responded positively to Indian offerings, particularly for sustainable, traceable, and artisanal products, reaffirming their intent to scale up sourcing from India.
Strengthening global positioning for Indian textiles
The Ministry of Textiles expects this engagement to enhance market access, encourage joint investments, and bolster the global brand positioning of Indian textiles.
With a renewed focus on sustainable supply chains and ethical sourcing, India is aiming not just for volume, but value — exporting culture, craft, and innovation along with products.
As India eyes a $300 billion textile economy in the next few years, such bilateral agreements and international outreach programmes will play a vital role in lifting the sector’s global competitiveness — with MSMEs at the centre of this transformation.